Racing a giant wheel with no brakes

On Saturday our family had the pleasure of being in Evandale for its annual National Penny Farthing Championships.

It was the perfect spot to watch an old fashioned race. Evandale is like a slice of ‘Ye Olde England’. Beautiful Georgian cottages, a fantastic pub with shady beer garden, oak trees and wagons strewn along nature strips.

The sun was out, people lined the streets with home made ice creams and lemonade in hand. There were riders from all across Australia competing for the trophy in women's, men's and kid's divisions.

We watched with excitement as riders atop giant wheels sped away down the street, round the block and back in past the pub. Some dressed in the fashion of yesteryear with knickerbockers and dandy hats, others sported more modern lycra.

I was taking some photos and wanted a ‘ right in the action’ kind of shot.So during the finals I found a great position on a corner and leant my camera across the top of a barrier wall made from hay bales.

It turned out this position was much closer to the action than expected.

Five riders came barrelling up the straight and all made for the corner at once. The next part is all a bit of a blur. One guy turned too open and because Penny Farthings don’t have brakes he couldn’t slow his speed.

Suddenly hay bales are everywhere and I’m on my back looking up at a lopsided giant wheel and hearing the voice of the stripy-socked rider who had tumbled into the crowd of people behind. ‘Sorry, sorry, oops are you ok?’

We were all fine, except for a lady named Sue, who had been standing beside me at the time. She hit the deck much harder and the ambulance guys were called in.

Although Sue had torn some ligaments in her leg and needed a sling, thankfully she felt not too badly hurt.

Later in the day I spotted Sue leaning against the ambulance and went over to say hi. Together we watched her daughter Sally finish 2nd in the women’s finals.

As the MC broadcast updates on Sue’s recovery over the loudspeaker, Sue laughed, waved her sling at the passing riders and said she’d be leveraging the damages for a couple of free vinos at the After Party.